General instructions: Because all of your writing is being published here, you should do whatever you need to do to make it accurate in terms of spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Misspelled words (or words not in the dictionary here) are underlined in red. Please repair any underscored words.
Do you have any questions about what you have read in this section of your book? If you do, start a new discussion topic. Type the basic question into the subject box. Add more information about your question in the message box. For example, you might want to quote part of the text and include the page number of the part you're asking about.
Remember to look at other people's posted questions and read what they have said. Add your own comments in response, if you have any.
12/17/09 FINAL ASSIGNMENT:
Finish your book and write your response to the questions below. Try to complete all of your work by Friday, January 8.
Write a review of this book. Try to use specific examples to back up your opinions. Things you might write about:
Did you like it, overall?
Did the ending surprise you?
Were you satisfied with the ending?
Which characters did you end up liking? Which ones did you dislike?
Is there anything else you want to say about the book?
12/13/09 Assignment #4:
Plan to finish this assignment by Thursday, December 17 -- not Friday.
Congratulations! Everyone has completed all of the work, and all of the old questions are locked. Let's move on . . .
Read through the questions below. Then read to the end of chapter 22 on page 165. Post your answers in the discussion section. Remember to read each question again to make sure you have responded completely.
You've read through a lot of information about the heirs. Which one(s) do you think is connected with the bombings? Do you think one of them murdered Sam Westing? If so, which one and why? Finally, at this point in the story, which one do you think will win the game? Is there any one that you think will definitely NOT win?
There is the suggestion that Sam Westing is not really dead, that the "body" was a wax dummy. What do you think about that?
Try to make at least one prediction about what is coming up in the book. Explain your reasons for the prediction.
12/05/09 Assignment #3:
Plan to finish this assignment by Friday, December 11.
First, Ari and Emma -- you have some unfinished work. You both need to complete your responses to the "Major Characters" question that was part of the first assignment. And Ari, you also need to complete your response to the "Personal Reaction" question from the first assignment. That's why those two questions aren't locked yet. Please go to their postings, read everything there, and finish your answers. Ari, I just looked at your answer and gave you some feedback. Please read it and try again. Thank you!
Everyone should read through the questions below. Then read to the end of the first paragraph at the top of page 127 and post your responses.
When almost everyone goes to eat in Mr. and Mrs. Hoo's restaurant because the coffee shop is closed, they are paired up at the tables in unexpected ways. Choose one of the pairings and describe what they talked about while they ate. Did this time together change anything for that pair?
On page 90, Turtle says that she knows that her father is a bookie. Find out what this is, if you don't know already, and tell how you would feel about it if one of your parents were a bookie.
The book describes the way Angela and Turtle each unwrap presents (on page 113). How do you unwrap presents? Try to explain why you do it that way.
There has been all sorts of evidence gathered, and there are lots of suspects for several crimes: murder, bombing, and theft. Who do you think did any one of those things, and why did you choose that person?
Is there anything in the story (besides the mystery) that is confusing to you? If there is, post your own question about it. Everyone should look back here at the end of the week to see if anyone posted anything that you could comment on or explain.
11/28/09 Assignment #2:
First, read through the entire set of directions here, including the questions. Then read to the end of page 84. Plan to finish this assignment by Friday, December 4.
The next part of the book begins with the title "Sixteen Heirs." Choose 4 of the 16 and describe them in your own words, including your own opinion of them as characters. If you are the first to post a reply, you can pick any 4. After that, choose 4 that no one else has already chosen.
Limping seems to come up a lot in this story. Tell us about one person who limps and why you think (or why you know) they are limping. Try to choose someone no one else has named in their postings.
Do you like Turtle? That is, would you like her if she were a real person in our group? Explain why or why not.
Do you know what the real "Uncle Sam" looks like? If you don't know, click here. It will open in a new window. How does this connect with this part of the book? That is, what does it have to do with Samuel Westing?
On page 83, there is a discussion of the word crutch. Angela says, " . . . that people are so afraid of revealing their true selves that they have to hide behind some sort of prop." And Angela thinks that Turtle's metaphorical crutch is her braid. Do you agree or disagree? Explain why.
Answer these question in the DISCUSSION section of this wiki.
11/22/09Your first assignment:
Read to the end of page 25. Think about the characters you have met in that section.
Then add your responses to the questions below, which are in the DISCUSSION section. This should be completed by the time you return to school on Monday, November 30.
Which ones seem like major characters?
Choose two or three characters and tell us what you understand about them.
Give your personal reactions to each of them . . . for example, if you like one of them, explain why.
Because all of your writing is being published here, you should do whatever you need to do to make it accurate in terms of spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Misspelled words (or words not in the dictionary here) are underlined in red. Please repair any underscored words.
Do you have any questions about what you have read in this section of your book? If you do, start a new discussion topic. Type the basic question into the subject box. Add more information about your question in the message box. For example, you might want to quote part of the text and include the page number of the part you're asking about.
Remember to look at other people's posted questions and read what they have said. Add your own comments in response, if you have any.
Do you have any questions about what you have read in this section of your book? If you do, start a new discussion topic. Type the basic question into the subject box. Add more information about your question in the message box. For example, you might want to quote part of the text and include the page number of the part you're asking about.
Remember to look at other people's posted questions and read what they have said. Add your own comments in response, if you have any.
12/17/09 FINAL ASSIGNMENT:
Finish your book and write your response to the questions below. Try to complete all of your work by Friday, January 8.12/13/09 Assignment #4:
Plan to finish this assignment by Thursday, December 17 -- not Friday.Congratulations! Everyone has completed all of the work, and all of the old questions are locked. Let's move on . . .
Read through the questions below. Then read to the end of chapter 22 on page 165. Post your answers in the discussion section. Remember to read each question again to make sure you have responded completely.
12/05/09 Assignment #3:
Plan to finish this assignment by Friday, December 11.First, Ari and Emma -- you have some unfinished work. You both need to complete your responses to the "Major Characters" question that was part of the first assignment. And Ari, you also need to complete your response to the "Personal Reaction" question from the first assignment. That's why those two questions aren't locked yet. Please go to their postings, read everything there, and finish your answers. Ari, I just looked at your answer and gave you some feedback. Please read it and try again. Thank you!
Everyone should read through the questions below. Then read to the end of the first paragraph at the top of page 127 and post your responses.
11/28/09 Assignment #2:
First, read through the entire set of directions here, including the questions. Then read to the end of page 84.Plan to finish this assignment by Friday, December 4.
- The next part of the book begins with the title "Sixteen Heirs." Choose 4 of the 16 and describe them in your own words, including your own opinion of them as characters. If you are the first to post a reply, you can pick any 4. After that, choose 4 that no one else has already chosen.
- Limping seems to come up a lot in this story. Tell us about one person who limps and why you think (or why you know) they are limping. Try to choose someone no one else has named in their postings.
- Do you like Turtle? That is, would you like her if she were a real person in our group? Explain why or why not.
- Do you know what the real "Uncle Sam" looks like? If you don't know, click here. It will open in a new window. How does this connect with this part of the book? That is, what does it have to do with Samuel Westing?
- On page 83, there is a discussion of the word crutch. Angela says, " . . . that people are so afraid of revealing their true selves that they have to hide behind some sort of prop." And Angela thinks that Turtle's metaphorical crutch is her braid. Do you agree or disagree? Explain why.
Answer these question in the DISCUSSION section of this wiki.11/22/09 Your first assignment:
Read to the end of page 25. Think about the characters you have met in that section.Then add your responses to the questions below, which are in the DISCUSSION section.
This should be completed by the time you return to school on Monday, November 30.
Which ones seem like major characters?
Choose two or three characters and tell us what you understand about them.
Give your personal reactions to each of them . . . for example, if you like one of them, explain why.
Because all of your writing is being published here, you should do whatever you need to do to make it accurate in terms of spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Misspelled words (or words not in the dictionary here) are underlined in red. Please repair any underscored words.
Do you have any questions about what you have read in this section of your book? If you do, start a new discussion topic. Type the basic question into the subject box. Add more information about your question in the message box. For example, you might want to quote part of the text and include the page number of the part you're asking about.
Remember to look at other people's posted questions and read what they have said. Add your own comments in response, if you have any.